How Vladimir Putin Travels With An Armoured Car And Specially Modified Aircraft

When Vladimir Putin travels abroad, a lot more arrives with him than a presidential delegation. The Russian President landed in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit in his specially modified aircraft. His armoured Aurus Senat limousine is also brought to the country for his movements on the ground. And when he takes off, another identical aircraft can fly alongside it as a decoy.
From the aircraft in the sky to the convoy on the road, Putin's travel arrangements are built around security.

Putin Takes His Own Car Abroad

Putin's official presidential car is the Aurus Senat limousine. The Russian-made car replaced the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman previously used by the President. It was developed by Russia's NAMI research institute as part of the Kortezh project and was first publicly presented at Putin's fourth inauguration in 2018.

The interesting part is what happens when Putin travels overseas. Yes, the Aurus travels with him.

The presidential state car is airlifted to the destination in an Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft. So once Putin arrives, he can use his own official limousine rather than a car supplied locally. The Senat used by the President is heavily armoured and built to the security standards of Russia's Federal Protective Service.

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Recent Russian presidential state cars have been bulletproof, fitted with solid rubber tyres and equipped with communications systems. The Aurus is also described as bulletproof and blast-resistant.

The car has a reported top speed of around 160 kmph and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in approximately nine seconds. Inside, it has leather, wood trim and advanced infotainment systems.

Then There Is The 'Flying Kremlin'

Putin's aircraft is certainly the more unusual part of his travel arrangements. He frequently travels in the specially modified Ilyushin IL-96-300PU, often known as the "Flying Kremlin". For his India visit, Putin travelled in one of two identical aircraft in his fleet. Both flew at the same time, with one serving as a decoy.

The reason is that if the two aircraft look the same, it becomes harder to know which one is carrying the President. Russia has used the same arrangement on other foreign trips by Putin.

The IL-96-300PU is based on the long-range Russian IL-96 aircraft. It has four Aviadvigatel PS-90A turbofan engines and can fly about 11,000 kilometres. The aircraft is 55.35 metres long, with a wingspan of 60.12 metres.

Inside, the aircraft has encrypted communication systems that can connect Putin with military, intelligence and government networks. It also has satellite links and protected radio and data channels.

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Radar-jamming technology and other defensive systems are also part of the aircraft. In an emergency, it can operate as a mobile command centre. This is why the aircraft is also sometimes called the "Doomsday Plane."

The aircraft is not all about communications and security. It has a private presidential suite, bedrooms, bathrooms, a private kitchen and dining areas. There is also a large conference room with boardroom-style seating.